We Know, We Know...

...we're terribly behind schedule, darlings. 

But...well...we've been busy.

Ewwwwwww!!!!!!!

This will be a one-off, unusual post on SSUWAT, because we're not really editing this to be witty and refined. We're posting this because we're furious, darlings, and if you're a follower of this blog at all, we suspect that you'll be angry, too, once you read the link to the New York Times column which has gotten us so hot and bothered:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/arts/television/a-case-of-retro-tv-overload.html?_r=0

That article made us ANGRY. We're actually personally offended by it, because it belittles our taste and questions the validity of same. Not only is this writer an arse, but we're astonished and disappointed that this childishly written article appeared in the New York Times at all -- it reads more like a blog post (we know of which we speak, obviously). Everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course, and what's funny to some won't be funny to others -- but we still laugh out loud at "I Love Lucy," and its situations (in our opinion) are funny because they're timeless. You don't need to be a nostalgist to find one of those episodes funny. What REALLY irks us about this article, though, and the legitimacy bestowed upon it by its inclusion in such a respected and venerable publication, is that it's such a slap in the face to people who still get so much pleasure out of these shows, irrespective of their ages (we certainly weren't around for "Lucy" or "The Honeymooners" or "Green Acres" in their first runs), AND another nail in the coffin for people who are TRYING to restore and revive the amazing treasures in the vintage television vaults which are not nearly as widely known as the heavy-hitters this writer so cavalierly dismisses. The real question is, WHY was this article was even published in the first place? There are people, including dear friends of this blog, who are fighting an UPHILL BATTLE to preserve and restore vintage television, in the face of opposition from corporations who couldn't care less. This idiotic column is just an example of why so many priceless things remain in the vault, because "they" assume that there's no audience for, or value to them. As we said, art and comedy are subjective -- but with 700 channels on cable to choose from, how is a rerun of "I Love Lucy" infringing on this nitwit's enjoyment of contemporary television? Keep your Kardashians and Real Housewives if that's what you're into, but don't tell us that Lucy Ricardo riding a subway with a loving cup stuck on her head isn't still as funny in 2014 as it was in 1955.

Read the article. And although we never beg for comments, PLEASE, darlings, tell us that we're not crazy and not alone in our outrage. 

Our reaction to that blasphemous New York Times column.

We Coaxed The Blues Right Outta The Horn

Flashback Friday:
We came, we saw, we conquered, and absolutely nothing was the same, darlings.

Flashback Friday

Your humble blogger, before and after.

Have You Heard?

We've been made an honorary Ethel Mermaid! 

We can't tell you what a thrill it was to be interviewed for Mermania by the fabulous Miss Corinna. 

Bless you, darling! 

Let The Music Play

In response to several inquiries, we thought we would share a few examples of what our bespoke SSUWAT playlists look like (as opposed to setting our life to shuffle). We aren't providing audio (in the interest of not being fined or jailed), but many of you will either be familiar with at least a smattering of the selections; or be sufficiently intrigued to hunt some of them down on your own.

RUN WILD, RUN FREE

Girls in the garage! Girls gone zonk! Girls be trippin'!

 

1) "In a Long White Room" by Nancy Wilson (Capitol, 1969)

 

 

2) "Cinderella Could Have Saved Us All" by Connie Stevens (MGM, 1968)

3) "Saturday Night Didn't Happen" by Reparata and the Delrons (Mala, 1968)

4) "The Bubble Broke" by Lesley Gore (Mercury, 1967)

 

 

5) "Wasn't it You" by Petula Clark (Warner Bros., 1966)

6) "Copacabana Velha De Guerra" by Elis Regina (Philips, 1970)

7) "Les Papillons Noirs" by Michèle Arnaud with Serge Gainsbourg (EMI-Pathe, 1966)

 

 

8) "Sunshine" by Shirley Bassey (Columbia, 1966)

9) "It's Break Up Time" by Sue Thompson (Hickory, 1965)

10) "I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy" by The What Four (Columbia, 1966)

11) "It's a Different World" by Connie Francis (MGM, 1966)

 

 

12) "Tu N'as Pas Le Droit" by France Gall (Philips, 1966)

13) "Mediterranean Sky" by Jackie De Shannon (Imperial, 1970)

14) "Run Wild, Run Free" by Claudine Longet (A/M, 1970)

 

 

15) "Smoke" by Bobbie Gentry (Capitol, 1970)

16) "Tell Me You Love Me, Junie Moon" by Liza Minnelli (A/M, 1970)

17) "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" by The 5th Dimension (Bell, 1971)

 

 

18) "The Interim" by Diana Ross (Motown, 1970)

19) "A Famous Myth" by The Carnival (World Pacific, 1969)

20) "Meanwhile Back in Real Life" by Robin Wilson (A/M, 1969)

21) "Reflections" by Roslyn Kind (RCA, 1970)

 

 

22) "Tunesmith" by Vikki Carr (Liberty, 1967)

23) "The Man in the Raincoat" by Anita Bryant (Columbia, 1967)

 

 

24) "Whistling Away the Dark" by Julie Andrews (RCA, 1970)

25) "Derradeira Primavera" by Nara Leão (Philips, 1964)

 

WANG DANG DOODLE

"You had to pick a colored record, didn't you? That's nice for the neighbors!"

 

1) "Deep Dark Secret" by Dee Dee Sharp (Cameo-Parkway, 1964)

2) "Ain't Gonna Cry No More" by LaVern Baker (Atlantic, 1963)

3) "Casanova" by Erlene and Her Girlfriends (Old Town, 1962)

4) "Putty in Your Hands" by The Shirelles (Scepter, 1962)

5) "Push a Little Harder" by The Avons (Groove, 1963)

 

 

6) "Do Wah Diddy" by The Exciters (United Artists, 1963)

7) "I Don't Want No Mama's Boy" by Erma Franklin (Epic, 1963)

8) "I Just Want to Make Love to You" by Etta James (Argo, 1960)

 

 

9) "Git Out" by Mitty Collier (Chess, 1967)

10) "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show, Pt. 1" by Honey Cone (Hot Wax, 1971)

11) "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" by The Velvelettes (V.I.P., 1964)

 

 

12) "Got Myself a Good Man" by Gladys Knight and The Pips (Soul, 1969)

13) "Wang Dang Doodle" by The Pointer Sisters (Blue Thumb, 1973)

14) "Fujiyama Mama" by Wanda Jackson (Capitol, 1960)

 

 

15) "Watch Out, Sally!" by Diane Renay (MGM, 1964)

16) "I Want You to Be My Baby" by Ellie Greenwich (United Artists, 1968)

17) "Off and Running" by Lesley Gore (Mercury, 1966)

18) "Love Loves to Love Love" by Lulu (EMI, 1967)

 

 

19) "Haunted" by Dusty Springfield (Atlantic, 1971)

20) "Chained" by The Sweet Inspirations (Atlantic, 1969)

 

 

21) "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" by Evie Sands (Haven, 1976)

22) "Expressway to Your Heart" by Margo Thunder (Capitol, 1974)

23) "Mama Never Told Me" by Sister Sledge (Atlantic, 1973)

24) "After Loving You" by Jean Wells (Calla, 1967)

25) "Goodness, Gracious" by Kim Weston (Stax, 1974)

 

DREAMSVILLE

A lush day's journey into night...

 

1) "I Cover the Waterfront" by Cleo Laine (Philips, 1965)

2) "If I Should Lose You" by Doris Drew (Muse, 1957)

 

 

3) "There is No Greater Love" by Betty Carter (United Artists, 1965)

4) "Wild is the Wind" by Gloria Lynne (Everest, 1961)

5) "Where Flamingos Fly" by Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake (RCA Victor, 1962)

6) "Don't Smoke in Bed" by Peggy Lee (Capitol, 1969)

 

 

7) "Sol Da Meia Noite (Midnight Sun)" by Sylvia Telles (Elenco, 1963)

8) "Mountain High, Valley Low" by Jo Stafford (Columbia, 1955)

9) "Close Your Eyes" by Dolores Gray (Capitol, 1957)

 

 

10) "You're My Thrill" by Julie London (Liberty, 1957)

11) "Don't Want to Walk without You" by Annita Ray (Ava, 1962)

12) "Where Did You Go" by Chris Connor and Maynard Ferguson (Roulette, 1961)

13) "You Don't Know What Love Is" by Mavis Rivers (Capitol, 1960)

14) "Angel Eyes" by Nancy Wilson (Capitol, 1968)

15) "'Round Midnight" by Toni Harper (RCA Victor, 1962)

 

 

16) "The Thrill is Gone" by Ella Fitzgerald (Verve, 1964)

17) "Yesterdays" by Sylvia Syms (Columbia, 1959)

18) "I Thought of You Last Night" by Jeri Southern (Capitol, 1959)

19) "Remind Me" by June Christy (Capitol, 1960)

 

 

20) "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" by Helen Merrill (EmArcy, 1957)

21) "Where or When" by Kitty White (Roulette, 1958)

22) "The Good Life" by Sarah Vaughan (Roulette, 1963)

23) "Dreamsville" by Lola Albright (Columbia, 1959)

 

 

24) "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" by Morgana King (EmArcy, 1956)

25) "I'll Be Around" by Billie Holiday (Columbia, 1958)

 

SO MANY STARS

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars..."

 

1) "How Do I Love Thee?" by Jayne Mansfield (MGM, 1964)

 

 

2) "I Start Counting" by Dusty Springfield (Philips, 1972)

3) "So Many Stars" by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 (A/M, 1968)

4) "No Moon at All" by Nana Mouskouri (Fontana, 1962)

5) "Night and Day" by Doris Day (Columbia, 1958)

6) "My Funny Valentine" by Petula Clark (Warner Bros., 1969)

 

 

7) "I'm in the Mood for Love" by Shirley Horn (Mercury, 1963)

8) "But Beautiful" by Peggy Lee (Capitol, 1961)

9) "The Nearness of You" by Jo Stafford (Columbia, 1956)

10) "You Go to My Head" by Dolores Gray (Capitol, 1957)

11) "Under a Blanket of Blue" by Patti Page (Mercury, 1956)

 

 

12) "Like Someone in Love" by Margaret Whiting (Capitol, 1955)

13) "A Quiet Thing" by Ann Hampton Callaway (DRG, 1994)

14) "It Happens Quietly" by Cleo Laine (CBS, 1984)

15) "Quietly There" by Sue Raney (Discovery, 1987)

16) "Misty" by Chris Connor (Atlantic, 1959)

17) "At Long Last Love" by Julie London (Liberty, 1965)

 

 

18) "Day by Day" by Betty Roché (Prestige, 1960)

19) "In a Sentimental Mood" by Phyllis Hyman (RCA, 1981)

20) "My One and Only Love" by Carmen McRae (Decca, 1955)

 

 

21) "The Very Thought of You" by Nancy Wilson (Capitol, 1963)

22) "I Thought About You" by Ella Fitzgerald (Verve, 1957)

23) "Deep Purple" by The King Sisters (Capitol, 1957)

 

 

24) "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" by Anita O'Day (Verve, 1955)

25) "London at Dawn" by Elizabeth Taylor and John Barry (Colpix, 1963)

 

A Window Into Our Soul

We have many loves here at SSUWAT: men, minks, minxes, etc., etc. Count music, too, among our very greatest loves, although we don't place too much of an emphasis on it here. But with over 50,000 songs loaded on our iTunes (40,000 of which barely squeeze onto our iPod), crateloads of vinyl and compact discs in storage, and a song in our hearts all the time, believe us when we say that music plays a very real, very profound role in our everyday lives.

 

Although we do custom-craft carefully chosen playlists for our friends, which are highly coveted amongst a discerning few, when we listen to music on our own, that generally means that the iPod is set to "shuffle." We like the element of surprise, as well as the inadvertent (or is it?) black humor of the Pet Shop Boys brushing up against, say, Georgia "Her Nibs" Gibbs, as just happened a few moments ago.

In discussing this with our beloved friend, Thombeau (of the legendary, dearly departed blogs Planet Fabulon, Chateau Thombeau and, most recently, The Redundant Variety Hour), he quipped that such mad, mashed-up meetings of musical minds was a "window to your very soul." And so, in keeping with that spirit, we decided to throw open our musical shutters to you, and made note of what played when we left our iPod on shuffle mode over the course of 40 songs, then recorded the results here. Since we're also obsessive-compulsive about accompanying our files with the scrupulously exact artwork (single versus album mixes, alternate versions, etc.), fellow fans of album cover art, picture sleeves, and record labels may enjoy browsing through the selection of images in addition to perhaps being inspired to listen to some of these tracks. Whether this bores, entertains, titillates or mystifies, we have no idea; but, whatever the case may be, you will have gotten to know us a little better.

1) "When I Fall in Love" by Nana Mouskouri

rec. 1962, unreleased outtake from The Girl From Greece Sings (Fontana)

 

 

2) "People" by Aretha Franklin

rec. 1964, released on Soft and Beautiful (Columbia, 1969)

 

 

3) "Always" by Billie Holiday

rec. 1955, released on Stay With Me (Verve, 1958)

 

4) "Tonight" by Oscar Peterson Trio

From West Side Story (Verve, 1962)

 

 

5) "Love is a Master of Disguise [Classic Club Mix]" by Eve Gallagher

From Charisma 12" single 0-96714, 1991

 

 

6) "What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)" by Kylie Minogue

From Greatest Hits (PWL, 1992)

 

 

7) "All I Need is Time" by Gladys Knight and the Pips

From All I Need is Time (Soul, 1973)

 

 

8) "Lulu's Back in Town" by Mel Tormé

From Lulu's Back in Town (Bethlehem, 1957)

 

 

9) "I Need Your Love So Bad" by Irma Thomas

From Wish Someone Would Care (Imperial, 1964)

 

 

10) "My Letters" by Jeri Southern

From The Southern Style (Decca, 1955)

 

 

11) "Desire [single mix]" by Yello

From Elektra 7" single 969 614-7, 1985

 

 

12) "On A Toutes Besoin D'un Homme" by Sylvie Vartan

From Sylvie Vartan [aka La Maritza] (RCA, 1968)

 

 

13) "Somebody, Somewhere" by Ella Fitzgerald

From Ella Sings Broadway (Verve, 1962)

 

 

14) "The Shock of Each Moment of Still Being Alive" by John Barry

From Boom! (Original Soundtrack) (MCA, 1968)

 

 

15) "Fast and Loud" by Stéphane Pompougnac featuring Juliette Oz

From Living on the Edge (Pschent, 2003)

 

 

16) "Cash and Carry" by Michel Legrand

From The Thomas Crown Affair (Original Motion Picture Score) (United Artists, 1968)

 

 

17) "Jump to the Beat" by Stacy Lattisaw

From Let Me Be Your Angel (Cotillion, 1980)

 

 

18) "Na baixa do sapateiro" by Ângela Maria e Waldir Calmon

From Quando os astros se encontram (Copacabana, 1958)

 

 

19) "Marco Polo" by Joe Claussell

From Language (Ibadan, 1999)

 

 

20) "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" by Sarah Vaughan

From The Lonely Hours (Roulette, 1963)

 

 

21) "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" by Chaka Khan

From CK (Warner Bros., 1988)

 

 

22) "Twenty Four Hours Ago" by The John Barry Seven

From Columbia 7" single 7414, 1964

 

 

23) "Just a-Sittin' and a-Rockin'" by Ruth Olay

From Easy Living (Mercury, 1957)

 

 

23) "My Future Just Passed" by Carmen McRae

From Torchy! (Decca, 1955)

 

 

25) "That's No Joke" by Blossom Dearie

From Sweet Blossom Dearie (Fontana, 1967)

 

 

26) "Give Me Love" by Cerrone

From Cerrone 3: Supernature (Atlantic, 1977)

 

 

27) "To Say Goodbye" by Edu Lobo

From Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo (A&M, 1970)

 

 

28) "Shake Hands and Walk Away Cryin'" by Lou Christie

From Columbia 7" single 4-44062, 1967          

 

 

29) "Primo Amore" by Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai

rec. 1967, issued on OK Connery (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Digitmovies, 2004)

 

 

30) "Don't Like Goodbyes" by Pearl Bailey

From House of Flowers (Columbia, 1955)

 

 

31) "All I Need is You" by Teddi King

From To You from Teddi King (RCA, 1956)

 

 

32) "Girlfriend" by Pebbles

From Pebbles (MCA, 1987)

 

 

33) "Standing Right Here" by Melba Moore

From A Portrait of Melba (Buddah, 1977)

 

 

34) "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" by Joni James

From 100 Strings and Joni... I'm in the Mood for Love (MGM, 1960)

 

 

35) "Dance with Me" by Petula Clark

From A Sign of the Times - My Love (Warner Bros., 1966)

 

 

36) "Não Diga Nada" by Cal Tjader

From Cal Tjader Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil (Verve, 1962)

 

 

37) "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" by The Miracles

From The Fabulous Miracles (Tamla, 1963)

 

 

38) "Stuck on You" by Elvis Presley

From RCA Victor 7" single 47-7740, 1960

 

 

39) "It's Worth it All" by Merilee Rush

From Angel of the Morning (Bell, 1968)     

 

 

40) "Hearts, Not Diamonds" by Lauren Bacall

Unreleased, from the film The Fan (Paramount, 1981)

 

We'll let Ms. Bacall finish this one off.